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San Juan Capistrano council adopts updated CAL FIRE fire-hazard severity maps
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted CAL FIRE’s updated Local Responsibility Area fire hazard severity maps and amended city code provisions, expanding the city’s very-high hazard designation and prompting council discussion about regional changes and homeowner mitigation.
San Juan Capistrano — The City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance on July 15 designating updated fire hazard severity zones based on maps released by CAL FIRE in March 2025, staff said.
Paul Garcia, principal analyst in the city manager’s office, told the council the new maps expand areas designated 'very high' within the city from about 401 acres under the prior 2011 map to just over 2,600 acres on the updated map, and for the first time identify 'high' and 'moderate' zones inside city limits. Garcia said the maps classify hazard based on vegetation, terrain and fire weather and do not reflect mitigation such as defensible space or fire-resistant construction.
The change means some property owners in newly designated zones could face stricter construction methods under the California Building Code and requirements to maintain defensible space, Garcia said. He also noted insurance underwriting decisions typically rely on insurers’ own models rather than CAL FIRE maps, citing the California Department of Insurance.
During council discussion Mayor Pro Tem Campbell asked whether the increase in designated acreage in San Juan Capistrano is mirrored elsewhere in the county. An Orange County representative said growth occurred in many jurisdictions because CAL FIRE used a different modeling system for the 2025 maps, causing some cities’ designations to grow while others shrank.
The council voted to adopt staff’s recommendation to designate the updated maps as the city’s fire hazard severity zones and to amend Chapter 4‑8 of the San Juan Capistrano Municipal Code to remove obsolete provisions. The vote was unanimous.
What happens next: Staff confirmed with CAL FIRE and the city attorney that post‑adoption modifications to the maps are permissible; the council did not instruct staff to delay adoption. Property owners with questions about building or insurance impacts were directed to staff and to CAL FIRE guidance.
Authorities referenced in the hearing included the municipal code amendment language and the City’s ordinance adopting CAL FIRE maps, and CEQA references cited during the meeting.
